SHELBYVILLE, Ind. — This week's Operation Football Game of the Week features a Hoosier Heritage Conference showdown between two heated rivals.
The Yorktown Tigers (3-2) travel more than 60 miles south to take on the Shelbyville Golden Bears (3-2). While neither team is in a position to move up in the conference standings, both schools are still playing for pride.
Shelbyville looks to avenge last year's blowout loss to Yorktown in which the Tigers thumped the Golden Bears 42-0. It might look like a tall task for the Golden Bears, but head coach Scott Fitzgerald has already equaled Shelbyville's win total from the last five years in his first year coaching the team.
The Golden Bears have not had a winning season since 2017, when they won seven games. Since the 2018 season, the team has seen three head coaches, posted 26 straight losses — spanning two winless seasons — and just three wins.
The drastic turnaround for Shelbyville sees the team now poised for its first winning season in half a decade. For perspective, a senior that has played varsity football the last three seasons has won more games this season than in their entire high school career.
Yorktown has seen more stability the last five years. The Tigers finished the previous season in the regional round of the postseason, posting a final record of 9-4.
The Tigers enter week six coming off a 34-28 victory over the New Castle Trojans. Meanwhile, Shelbyville struggled against Class 3A No. 5 Greenfield-Central last week. The Golden Bears fell 47-0 to the Cougars, posting their first scoreless loss since last season.
The teams have played two common opponents so far this season. Shelbyville beat New Castle 34-14, but lost to Delta 21-14. In addition to their New Castle victory last week, Yorktown lost to Delta 22-13 in week three.
Breaking things down further, Yorktown quarterback, senior Mason Moulton, completed 15 out of 30 of his passes against Delta for 158 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Against New Castle, Moulton was 6-for-13 with 99 yards passing and one touchdown. Moulton does have a solid arsenal of receivers and running backs to help him lead his offense. Senior running back Tyson Lewis has already racked up 836 rushing yards, according to MaxPreps, in just five games so far this season.
Shelbyville's offensive breakdown takes a look at senior quarterback Eli Chappelow. Against New Castle, Chappelow was 21-for-35 passing for 184 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in the Golden Bears' win. In the loss to Delta, Chappelow completed 21 of his 46 pass attempts for 226 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
On the ground, Shelbyville's sophomore running back Donavon Martin has racked up 246 yards rushing so far this season off of 68 total carries, according to MaxPreps.
Friday night's matchup has potential to be a high-scoring affair. Will Shelbyville be able to put an end to their five-year losing streak against the Tigers? Find out on Operation Football this Friday night at 11 p.m. on 13News.